How To File A RTI

The Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005, is crucial as it mandates timely response to a citizen’s request for government information.

What does the Act aim to do?

The Act aims at promoting transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.

Who does the Act apply to?

The Act extends to the whole of India, except the state of Jammu and Kashmir.

How to file an RTI plea

The Act prescribes a simple procedure to obtain information. Though some public authorities have their own formats, there is no compulsion to stick to the prescribed format.

Step 1: Identify the department you want information from. Some subjects fall under the purview of State governments or local authority such as the municipal administration/panchayat, while others are handled by the Central government.

Step 2: On a sheet of white paper, write out the application by hand, or type it, in English, Hindi or the official language of the area. You can also ask the public information officer to put it in writing.

Step 3: Address the application to the State/Central Public Information Officer. Write the name of the office from which you seek information, and the complete, correct address. Clearly mention ‘Seeking information under the RTI Act, 2005’ in your subject line.

Step 4: State your request in the form of specific, detailed questions, and mention the period/year your request falls into. Ask for documents or extracts of documents, if required. To obtain documents, the applicant has to make a payment of Rs. 2 per page.

Step 5: Pay Rs. 10 to file the plea. This can be done in the form of cash, money order, bank draft or a court fee stamp. The stamp should be affixed to the application. Applicants below the poverty line (BPL) need not make the payment but have to attach a copy of the BPL certificate along with the application.

Step 6: Provide your full name and address, contact details, email address and sign the application clearly. Put in the date and the name of your town.

Step 7: Take a photocopy of the application and keep one with you for future reference. Send your application by post or hand it in personally to the department concerned. Don’t forget to get an acknowledgement.

Step 8: The law mandates that information be provided in 30 days. If this does not happen, you can file an appeal. The first appeal should be addressed to ‘The Appellate Authority’ with the name of the department and the address. The appellate authority is mandated to revert in 30 days from the date of receipt of the appeal. If the Appellate authority fails to reply, further appeals lie with the Information Commission, the Chief Information Commissioner, State/Central Information Commission.

Most Consulted General Legal Advocates

Advocate Tushar Kale is a Thane based lawyer and has been practising law since 2004. He has been providing legal and advisory services as an independent lawyer. Advocate Tushar Kale Kale got enrolled with the Bar Council in the year 2004.
He holds extensive experience in working in the most complex areas of Divorce, Family Law, Consumer Protection, Property Real Estate Law, Arbitration, Default or Fraud and General Legal. He holds experience in efficiently handling varied cases and often makes appearances across Bombay High Court, Consumer District Forum Pune, District Court Pune, Thane District Court and Thane District Forum.
He avidly believes in achieving the objectives of his client with compassion and accurate advocacy. Advocate Tushar Kale is known for providing timely and responsive legal services for his clients by providing them with the most expeditious legal course of action.

Advocate Siddhartha Shah Practices at Bombay High Court, Family Courts Mumbai, and Supreme Court Of India. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Maharashtra in the year 1999. He is a member of the Family Court Bar Association and the Mumbai Sessions Court Association. He is the founder of a law firm named Siddhartha Shah & Associates which is a full service legal team situated in the city of Mumbai, practicing in all aspects of litigation and non-litigation.
His practice areas are contract conditions, commercial transactions, arbitration, property law, construction law, corporate law contracts, e-commerce, software contracts, media and entertainment, partnership, information technology, cyber laws, intellectual property, advising on the implications of the Criminal Laws and all aspect of general litigation amongst other matters. He is himself an attorney engaged in matters like Arbitration & Conciliation, Divorce & Alimony, Family Dispute, International Laws and Child Custody
He has experience of 18+ years in the legal profession and providing services. He provides services in fair and transparent manner with result oriented approach. He is very supportive and friendly to his clients both professionally and ethically. He is consistent and precise in identifying strength and weakness of the matter.

Advocate Karuna Tiwari is a Chhatisgarh based lawyer and has been practising law since 1992. She has been providing legal and advisory services as an independent lawyer. Advocate Karuna Tiwari got enrolled with the Bar Council in the year 1992.
She has acquired his legal education from Hidayatulla National Law University and holds extensive experience in working in the most complex areas of Consumer Protection, Moter Vehicle Accident, Divorce, Criminal Law and Family Law. He holds experience in efficiently handling varied cases and often makes appearances across Bilaspur High Court Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and Chhattisgarh High Court.
She avidly believes in achieving the objectives of client with compassion and accurate advocacy. Advocate Karuna Tiwari is known for providing timely and responsive legal services for clients by providing them with the most expeditious legal course of action.

Advocate Sarvesh Kushwaha is a Kanpur based lawyer and has been practising law since 1993. He has been providing legal and advisory services as an independent lawyer. Advocate Sarvesh Kushwaha got enrolled with the Bar Council in the year 1993.
He holds extensive experience in working in the most complex areas of Divorce, Family Law, Consumer Protection and General Legal. He holds experience in efficiently handling varied cases and often makes appearances across District Court Kanpur Dehat and District Court Kanpur Nagar.
He avidly believes in achieving the objectives of his client with compassion and accurate advocacy. Advocate Sarvesh Kushwaha is known for providing timely and responsive legal services for his clients by providing them with the most expeditious legal course of action.

Advocate P MISHRA is a Agra based lawyer and has been practising law since 1992. He has been providing legal and advisory services as an independent lawyer. Advocate P MISHRA got enrolled with the Bar Council in the year 1992.
He has acquired his legal education at Lucknow University and holds extensive experience in working in the most complex areas of Arbitration, Employment, General Legal, High Court, Labour & Service, Startups. He holds experience in efficiently handling varied cases and often makes appearances across District Court Agra, District Court Lucknow, Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court.
He avidly believes in achieving the objectives of his client with compassion and accurate advocacy. Advocate P MISHRA is known for providing timely and responsive legal services for his clients by providing them with the most expeditious legal course of action.

Advocate Sana Chandra Mohan provides consultation over a wide variety of legal issues. He handles both criminal legal cases and civil legal cases including Bail/Anticipatory Bail, Cheque Bounce, Family Law, Labour & Service and Property/Real Estate.
He practices in District Court Karimnagar. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Telangana in 1995 and has an experience of 22+ years in this field. He is a member of Karimnagar Court Bar Association.
He has got 22+ year experience in the providing legal services. He works judiciously with the clients to provide them legal assistant. He is intricately acquainted with the Indian legal system and uses that knowledge along with his work-oriented approach to yield satisfying results for his clients in every case.

Top Consulted General Legal Advocates

Advocate Tushar Kale is a Thane based lawyer and has been practising law since 2004. He has been providing legal and advisory services as an independent lawyer. Advocate Tushar Kale Kale got enrolled with the Bar Council in the year 2004.
He holds extensive experience in working in the most complex areas of Divorce, Family Law, Consumer Protection, Property Real Estate Law, Arbitration, Default or Fraud and General Legal. He holds experience in efficiently handling varied cases and often makes appearances across Bombay High Court, Consumer District Forum Pune, District Court Pune, Thane District Court and Thane District Forum.
He avidly believes in achieving the objectives of his client with compassion and accurate advocacy. Advocate Tushar Kale is known for providing timely and responsive legal services for his clients by providing them with the most expeditious legal course of action.

Advocate Siddhartha Shah Practices at Bombay High Court, Family Courts Mumbai, and Supreme Court Of India. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Maharashtra in the year 1999. He is a member of the Family Court Bar Association and the Mumbai Sessions Court Association. He is the founder of a law firm named Siddhartha Shah & Associates which is a full service legal team situated in the city of Mumbai, practicing in all aspects of litigation and non-litigation.
His practice areas are contract conditions, commercial transactions, arbitration, property law, construction law, corporate law contracts, e-commerce, software contracts, media and entertainment, partnership, information technology, cyber laws, intellectual property, advising on the implications of the Criminal Laws and all aspect of general litigation amongst other matters. He is himself an attorney engaged in matters like Arbitration & Conciliation, Divorce & Alimony, Family Dispute, International Laws and Child Custody
He has experience of 18+ years in the legal profession and providing services. He provides services in fair and transparent manner with result oriented approach. He is very supportive and friendly to his clients both professionally and ethically. He is consistent and precise in identifying strength and weakness of the matter.

Advocate Karuna Tiwari is a Chhatisgarh based lawyer and has been practising law since 1992. She has been providing legal and advisory services as an independent lawyer. Advocate Karuna Tiwari got enrolled with the Bar Council in the year 1992.
She has acquired his legal education from Hidayatulla National Law University and holds extensive experience in working in the most complex areas of Consumer Protection, Moter Vehicle Accident, Divorce, Criminal Law and Family Law. He holds experience in efficiently handling varied cases and often makes appearances across Bilaspur High Court Chhattisgarh, Chhattisgarh State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission and Chhattisgarh High Court.
She avidly believes in achieving the objectives of client with compassion and accurate advocacy. Advocate Karuna Tiwari is known for providing timely and responsive legal services for clients by providing them with the most expeditious legal course of action.

Advocate Sarvesh Kushwaha is a Kanpur based lawyer and has been practising law since 1993. He has been providing legal and advisory services as an independent lawyer. Advocate Sarvesh Kushwaha got enrolled with the Bar Council in the year 1993.
He holds extensive experience in working in the most complex areas of Divorce, Family Law, Consumer Protection and General Legal. He holds experience in efficiently handling varied cases and often makes appearances across District Court Kanpur Dehat and District Court Kanpur Nagar.
He avidly believes in achieving the objectives of his client with compassion and accurate advocacy. Advocate Sarvesh Kushwaha is known for providing timely and responsive legal services for his clients by providing them with the most expeditious legal course of action.

Advocate P MISHRA is a Agra based lawyer and has been practising law since 1992. He has been providing legal and advisory services as an independent lawyer. Advocate P MISHRA got enrolled with the Bar Council in the year 1992.
He has acquired his legal education at Lucknow University and holds extensive experience in working in the most complex areas of Arbitration, Employment, General Legal, High Court, Labour & Service, Startups. He holds experience in efficiently handling varied cases and often makes appearances across District Court Agra, District Court Lucknow, Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court.
He avidly believes in achieving the objectives of his client with compassion and accurate advocacy. Advocate P MISHRA is known for providing timely and responsive legal services for his clients by providing them with the most expeditious legal course of action.

Advocate Sana Chandra Mohan provides consultation over a wide variety of legal issues. He handles both criminal legal cases and civil legal cases including Bail/Anticipatory Bail, Cheque Bounce, Family Law, Labour & Service and Property/Real Estate.
He practices in District Court Karimnagar. He enrolled with the Bar Council of Telangana in 1995 and has an experience of 22+ years in this field. He is a member of Karimnagar Court Bar Association.
He has got 22+ year experience in the providing legal services. He works judiciously with the clients to provide them legal assistant. He is intricately acquainted with the Indian legal system and uses that knowledge along with his work-oriented approach to yield satisfying results for his clients in every case.

Top Legal General Legal Queries

My wife filed a complain in Gujarat Information Commission along with full documentary evidence which clearly prove that information given by PIL is misleading and is in violation of RTI Act. Unfortunately GIC simply passed that order considering the papers were available in file, as opponent had given information and hence no further interference is required. Complain No.0200-2016.
We are not financially sound to approach High court.
Is there any provision to represent against governor for such type of wrong decision?

I am a resident of Jharkhand. I want to add surname to my name. Is it possible to do it from Bangalore? If yes, can you briefly explain the process? And if I change my name from here, changing name later in Aadhar card, PAN card and Passport would still be smooth?

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